Unhealed Fractures
by myrninxmorganvillevampiresx
Summary: Now Claire is living with Oliver,she is subject to the whole towns resentment and judgement. Feeling alone and friendless, she finds a friend in a surprising ally, but how far will people go to stop this "unnatural attraction" between her and Oliver? Will they make it through unscathed? Mild Language (May Change)
1. Chapter 1

**I wasn't planning on a sequel, but we'll see how it goes :)**

"Freak"

"Trash"

"Slut"

"Fangbanger"

Claire had been called names for most of her life, had been different most of her life too. But the past two weeks had been on another level, unlike anything she'd experienced before. For one, she was officially dating the scariest male vampire in Morganville, and because of this it seemed, everyone in Morganville hated her for it. Well, everyone human anyway. The vampires had got over the new situation with surprising ease, but Claire got the feeling it was only because they viewed her as some sort of "pet" of Olivers, one that was going to be disposing of eventually.

Sighing heavily, Claire climbed the metal steps up to her new home above the Common Grounds coffee shop where she now lived with Oliver. She had to drop her carrier bags to search for her key, which had wormed its way past her textbooks to the bottom of her bag. It was only when she looked up to put the key in the lock she saw the graffiti.

"Fangbanger" was popular, as was "slut" but the biggest one was "freak", written in all capitals diagonally across the wood. The breath caught in her throat and tears sprang to her eyes, but she pushed them all down and focused on just getting into the apartment. Gathering her bags up she crossed the threshold and kicked the door shut with her heel behind her. It was only then that she allowed the façade to crumble and collapsed against the door, sliding down it until she was sitting on the floor. Drawing her knees up she put her head in her hands and let the tears fall.

After a few minutes of self-pity however, Claire forced herself to get up and take the shopping into the small kitchen. Doing so, she wondered if people would ever move past her and Oliver being together. Her mind automatically started to shift towards Michael and Eve, but a tight pain in her chest told her to avoid that thought. Too late, it allowed time for a niggling thought in the back of her head to make itself known. Words like "Slut" and "fangbanger" didn't generally make her upset. She'd never been called a slut in her life before this, and "Fangbanger" she could deal with. It was "Freak" that got to her. She knew that. And so did the residents of the Glass House. She really didn't want to believe that no matter how angry they were, Eve and Michael would share that sort of personal information with others so the graffiti artists would know where to hit for maximum pain. Shane though… she pictured his face the last time she had seen it. His handsome face twisted in pain and disgust and absolute _loathing_ as he looked at her and Oliver…. No, her _with_ Oliver. _It's not fair!_ A little voice cried inside of her. _He cheated too! _Conveniently everybody else seemed to have forgotten that bit… or it hadn't been leaked outside of the Glass House.

Gritting her teeth, she angrily filled the mini fridge with as much as it would take, then moved onto the cupboards. She had begun to limit her shopping trips to once a week, her endurance of the stares and the whispers wearing thin after the first three trips when she'd run out of edible food. Oliver, living alone, had nothing but blood packs in his fridge, and being a vamprire, had no clue what humans ate, so it fell to herself to buy food. She didn't mind that, it was just the constant judgement from the outside world that she had to subject herself to anytime she went somewhere public. At the minute, the university campus and Myrnin's lab were the only places she could find peace outside of the apartment.

Finished packing away the food, she flopped onto the sofa and switched on the tv. After five minutes of channel surfing, she was bored. She got up and restlessly paced the room, rearranging things, not cleaning exactly, because there was nothing to clean. Everything was pretty much spotless. She couldn't even cook because it wasn't anywhere close to tea time. Oliver's shift at Common Grounds didn't end for another couple of hours. She tossed the idea of going there and hanging out in his office until he finished around in her mind, then rejected it. She'd only feel like a nuisance, and walls or not, she could _feel _the stares of his customers.

Her hands itched for something to do, books to shelve, clothes to hang,_ something,_ but that was impossible, because she hadn't even got close to gathering the courage to get her stuff from her old house yet. She sat down again, then stood up. She considered making a cup of tea. _This is ridiculous. Just go over there, get your stuff, come back. It's already been two weeks, how much longer are you gonna leave it? _Huffing out a breath, she stared at the cardboard boxes leaning against the wall, an impulsive buy from the supermarket when she was feeling brave, neatly wrapped in cellophane, ready to be folded and used. Looking at the clock, she put more thought into the idea. At this time, Eve would be working. Michael might be up, but would probably be out doing guitar lessons. Shane… her heart sank. Who knew where was right now. She pictured herself walking in and seeing Shane on his xbox, or making a sandwich in the kitchen, and cringed. _But if you leave it later, you might have to face all three. _Biting at her ruined nails, she debated. Then, quickly before she could back out of it, she grabbed the boxes and her keys and left for the Glass House.

Arriving outside the door, Claire hesitated, debating whether to knock or go straight in. She still had a key, but walking in just didn't feel right. "Are you looking for your friends?" a voice called out from nearby and she almost jumped out of her skin. Looking to the side, she saw the elderly Mrs Patterson from next door sitting on her porch. "Uh… yeah" unsure how much the old woman knew, her answer was hesitant. "Oh, that's a shame, I think they have all gone out dearie." The relief made Claire sag. Leaning against the doorframe, she fished her key out of her front pocket and waved it in the air. "That's okay, I've actually got my key with me".

Walking into the cool air of the house hit Claire with a sudden feeling of sadness. Everything here held a memory for her. The stain on the sofa where Shane had spilled a beer when getting over excited about a video game. The dent in the wall from one of their many fights that had simply never been repaired. The dusty monopoly board left open and in the middle of a game on the side table. Pushing down her feelings, Claire climbed the wooden stairs swiftly, wanting to be out before anyone came back. Pushing open the door to her room, she noted with some relief and sadness that no one had been in her room since she had left. Opening a window to replace some of the mustiness with fresh air, she opened a few boxes and started to pack.

**Reviews help a lot :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Pushing her hair back from where it was falling across her face, Claire surveyed her old room. Everything was packed and in the car, leaving the room unsettlingly bare. Trailing her fingers along the desk, she remembered all the time she had spent in here, sleeping ,studying, with Shane…

Feeling a flash of anger at herself for thinking about him, she gritted her teeth and walked out, shutting the door with a final sounding thud. She took a moment before leaving, going in every room, saying a last goodbye to the house that had been her home for the past 5 years.

Sitting on the sofa in the living room, she laid her key on the table and closed her eyes, remembering all the things that had happened here. Smelling the familiar smell of the house, which she suddenly realised had always had an undertone of spaghetti and chilli. Hearing ghosts of laughter, shouting. She could practically see them all. Eve in the kitchen, making herself coffee. Michael in his favourite chair, leaning over his guitar as he practiced a new song. Shane on the sofa, playing video games. A slight smile crept onto her face as she thought about them.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she became aware of the sound of breathing from the doorway. Her eyes sprang open and she rose to her feet, turning to look. It was Eve, her keys in her hand, her eyes wary. Claire tensed, ready for a shouting match, but all Eve said was "You got your stuff". Claire blinked, taken aback, and nodded. "Yeah... um, I was just… saying goodbye". Her cheeks flushed slightly at how stupid that sounded out loud, but Eve simply mimicked Claire's earlier nod. The stood in an awkward silence for a few beats, before Claire moved towards the door. "Well I should get going, it's getting late". _This feels so wrong_ she thought. A month ago, everything was fine. The biggest thing on her mind was how to keep her relationship with Oliver a secret. Now… Now everything had fallen apart. Eve moved to the side to let her past, but just as she reached the bottom of the steps, she called her name. Turning, Claire looked at Eve.

"I….I'm not okay. Still. About you and... I mean… You're, well, not forgiven."

Claire felt the hope she hadn't even realised was rising, crash and burn. And then as she processed what had just been said, it ignited. Her face flushed like she'd just been slapped, and her eyebrows drew together. "_I'm_ not forgiven? That's just _perfect_. Everything is my fault, isn't it?" Eve shifted slightly, obviously not anticipating this reaction. "You know, I actually thought for a minute you were going to say – well it doesn't even matter now, because clearly you aren't the person I thought you were." Eve's mouth dropped open, and there was renewed heat in her voice when she replied.

"Are you seriously saying that? The girl who is going with _Oliver? _Do you actually realise how wrong that is? What, you just thought you would be magically forgiven for- oh, I don't know, lying, cheating, basically _betraying_ all of us!"

"Have you forgotten about the part where I was cheated on too?!" She yelled the last part. She had a vague notion they were causing a scene, but she didn't care. There was a part of her that had been dying to have this fight, and right now it was going all out. "And not only that, no, but you knew! You knew and you didn't even tell me! You were my best friend!" she shouted.

"Can you blame me, when you kept making sure I didn't know what was going on with you by having Oliver wipe my mind?!" Now Eve was shouting as well.

A car pulled up with a screech, and Claire heard a door open. "Hey! What's going – oh." Stopping next to Eve, Michael faced Claire, closely followed by Shane. "What's she doing here?" Shane asked in a flat voice. "Picking up my stuff" Claire said angrily before Eve could open her mouth. "Good" he said, and turned around to go inside. Michael intervened before she could say anything. "Claire, you should get out of here." Angry tears sprang to her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "Or what, you'll _make _me?" "I don't see your creepy-ass boyfriend around anywhere, and I also wouldn't push me right now." The dim red in his eyes just made her even angrier.

"You're all such hypocrites!" she cried. "After the amount of trouble you two went through, I would have expected a little bit of support, but no, I make one mistake and all of a sudden everything wrong in that house was my fault! Let's all forget the part where I wasn't the only one cheating! And you all knew! You're pathetic!" She spat the last part, shaking with anger.

"Hey now, come on. Break it up guys." It took a moment for Claire to recognise the voice. While she had been shouting, Hannah Moses had pulled up in her cruiser, and was now walking towards them all, one hand resting on her gun out of habit. "It's already done" she said bitterly, and got in her car. Eve and Michael exchanged a few words with the sheriff and went inside. Claire gripped the steering wheel tightly and drove off, barely noticing the few people that had gathered at a safe distance to watch the fight.

A few minutes later she pulled up and put her head in her hands, shaking and sobbing as she tried to get control of herself. She wiped her tears away hotly, hating herself for crying again, but unable to stop herself.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Claire walked through the front door, weighed down with boxes, she had managed to gain some degree of composure. She should have known better than to try and fool Oliver though. "Ah, there you are, I was wondering…" his voice trailed off sharply as he turned. She didn't know if it was written on her face, or in the fact she was carrying boxes with her things in, or if he smelled it, but one minute he was across the room, the next he was lifting boxes from her and effortlessly putting them on the floor to embrace her. She swallowed the lump in her throat and fought the gathering tears in her eyes as she buried her face in his shoulder. He stroked her hair for a moment before pulling away and studying her intently. "Stop that" she said shakily. "I feel like I've got something on my face". The effort was wasted on Oliver, who picked up her boxes and proceeded to put them in the bedroom. As he came out, she saw his face was brooding. Brooding and angry. She could see the restrained violence bubbling under his carefully maintained exterior, and felt a stab of guilt. "This is my fault" she said unhappily. In an instant, he had crushed her in a breath taking hug.

"Don't you ever say that Claire. You are the least to blame here. It is not you who chooses to inflict suffering on others as a form of petty revenge, no, you are the gentlest soul I have ever met." She felt a wave of warmth wash over her at his words, and sighed. "Sorry, I've just come from a shouting match with Eve and I'm a bit… strung out." "Oh?" She heard lightness return to his voice as he perked up at this titbit of information. "I hope you caused irreparable damage" She smiled and pulled away, walking into the kitchen to make herself a sandwich. "I wouldn't exactly say that." Then, after a pause. "Although, I suppose we were evenly matched". Oliver watched her work, leaning against the doorway, a smile on his face. "Of course you were". He stated it like he knew it all along, causing her to blush.

As she turned to reach for a knife, he was suddenly in the way, making Claire crane her head back to look at him. "Excuse me" she said playfully "I was getting a knife". His lips twitched and he leaned down as she reached up, linking her arms around his neck as they kissed. It was full of love and passion, leaving her slightly light headed. "You have no idea how much I love you" Oliver murmured against her mouth, making her feel like she would explode with happiness. "Well then," she whispered back "I think you'd better show me". With that, she re kindled their kiss, and within moments, had been hoisted onto the bench, her legs wrapped around Oliver's waist as her hands twined themselves in his hair.

His hands were just pulling her top up when there was a loud knocking on the door. She felt Oliver growl deep in his throat, and groaned herself. "Let's ignore it" she suggested, but no sooner had she suggested it when the knocking resumed, even louder if at all possible. Pursing her lips, she sighed and swung her legs against the cupboards as Oliver straightened and went to answer it, looking deliciously rumpled. After a moment, she grew curious and went to investigate.

Oliver was blocking her view of whoever it was, but alarm shot through her as she saw the tenseness of his body. She walked towards the door, and glimpsed through the gap a person. Frowning, she went closer, and abruptly stopped in her tracks as she saw who it was. Michael was stood there talking to Oliver in hushed tones. Claires stomach turned and for a moment she thought she was going to be sick. What was he doing here? Creeping closer, she noticed that he seemed too involved in his conversation to notice her. "…I just think it's better for everyone." That was Michael. What was better? She wondered. Oliver's icy tone gave her no clue but she could tell whatever it was had him riled up. "Better for _you_ perhaps. Do not pretend that you care about Claire. You made your feelings on her quite clear today when she returned to that house to gather her belongings that you hadn't bothered to return after you threw her out." Michael shifted, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else. "Look Oliver, I didn't come here to argue. Just make it clear to Claire that she's not welcome back. We can't –" Claire's blood had turned to lava as she had listened in to the conversation. She could feel her whole body shaking and wondered if she looked as murderous as she felt. "Oh really?" she cut across Michael, and as Oliver shifted to look at her, she saw something like appreciation in his gaze. That was unimportant compared to what she wanted to do to Michael at that moment. "Really?" she repeated, and saw surprise flit across Michaels face before a mask came down, shutting down any emotion he might be feeling from showing on his face. "You know what Michael? I was prepared to keep quiet, to clean the graffiti, to ignore the staring in the street, to pretend not to hear the rumours that could only have come from _you_." "I don't know what-" she cut across him a second time, not giving him time to respond. "I was going to wait it out, wait until people had gotten over me and oliver being together. But now I can see that as long as you and Eve and Shane have this- this _delusion _that you are all perfect and Im some sort of _slut_-" she spat the word, in true rage now that she had got going. "-then that's not going to happen. So let me set the record straight. Actually, you know what- let me set it straight for all of you" With that, she stormed past Michael, who out of surprise of wariness of Oliver, didn't move to stop her, and fished her keys out of her pocket before getting into her car, slamming the door, and driving to the glass house.

A small part of her was terrified, wondering what the hell she was doing, but mostly she was angry. Furious in fact. This had gone on too long, and she needed to get it off her chest. She didn't know if this would change anything, but she was damn well going to try.

By the time she got there, she glimpsed Michael slipping into the house. As she stormed up the stairs, she saw a curtain twitch and hammered on the door. "Open up!" she shouted. "I know you're in there- all of you!" It was getting dark, a twilight cast on the street, prime time for vampire activity, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was getting in and sorting this mess out.

The door opened suddenly as she was raising her fist, and she barged in before they had a chance to shit it in her face. She wouldn't do this in the street like some sort of outsider. "What the hell-" she felt what must have been Shanes hand try to grab her, but she made it into the sitting room before whirling round. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Shane was angry, and she could see resentment in Eves eyes and tenseness in Michaels body language. Good. This would be better if they all said what they meant.

"Right. I need to set some things straight."

Outside the house, directly opposite in fact, stood two vampires. Myrnin leant against a tree, whirling a pocket watch around on its chain as he and Oliver listened to the drama unfolding inside the Glass house. "You know" he said "I was never sure she had it in her, but these past few months she has been simply full of surprises." Oliver grunted, not exactly in agreement, but more like he was more focused on the argument that could be heard two streets over, vampire hearing or no, than insulting his age old enemy. Smiling slightly. Myrnin noticed how focused he was, thinking how a year ago, he would have never believed him possible of such devotion to one person, a human at that, and then promptly turned and disappeared into the dark.


End file.
